A touch call, but the games should go on.

REINHARD

By definition, a dilemma is "a difficult, perplexing or trying situation." I found myself in just such a predicament on Wednesday.

On Page A28 of our newspaper, I came across a photograph, 19 1/4 inches deep by 7 1/8 inches wide, of a man plunging head-first from the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

The caption didn't say from what floor he had leaped, but it was not difficult to imagine the outcome.

For me, it was undoubtedly the most chilling single image on the 60 pages the paper devoted to the events of the day.

On the Associated Press wire, I found a report that, because of Tuesday's terrorist attacks in the United States, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) postponed 40 UEFA Cup games and eight Champions League soccer games originally scheduled for Wednesday and today.

And finally, as I walked through the newsroom, our metro editor asked when I would by weighing in -- his words -- about the fact that some area high schools are playing sports like tennis and field hockey at a time when the country is riveted to the television set, anxious to know every last detail of the horrific four-pronged attack that has claimed thousands of lives and severely crippled the two most important cities in the U.S.

Hadn't I chastised Emmaus High School's administrators last winter for allowing its swimming team to proceed with a meet within hours of having two of its members killed in an automobile accident?

And hadn't I, after being deluged with lots of opposing views, continued to hold that the meet should have been postponed?

The answers to those question being yes and yes, it seemed to make sense that I would have the same opinion about playing games while crews still searched through the rubble for bodies both dead and alive.

Surely, the outcome of any soccer or field hockey game is inconsequential when compared to the terrorist attacks on our own turf. No question.

So, why was I struggling so much? Why could I not shake the feeling that, in this context, sports was no more trivial than many of the other things taking place on Wednesday without interruption?

I decided to take a short walk. I didn't have to go three blocks from the office to be convinced that playing a high school or college soccer game would not be a desecration.

I could purchase a bouquet at Argeson Florist.

I could have my finger nails manicured at Golden Nails.

I could (and did) buy a Frosty at Wendy's.

I could shop for jewelry at Golden Phoenix Jewelers or wicker furniture at Jaetee's.

I could make a withdrawal at First Union.

And at the Family Dollar, I could stand in either of two lines behind six other people who were purchasing almost anything imaginable.

My point is, life was going on pretty much as usual in downtown Allentown.

So, why not play a field hockey game or a football game? Why not allow your attention to be drawn away from the horror and the fear, even for a short time?

The destruction is not going away. The absurdity of it will not be jeopardized by a sports event.

To me, the Emmaus situation was different. The fatal accident directly touched the lives of those swimmers.

There may be cases in which area athletes have close connections with people injured or killed in Tuesday's attacks, too; and in those cases, individuals might elect not to play.

But for the most part, I see no reason to shut down.

I was particularly surprised by the decision of the European soccer group. According to the wire-service report, even the Vatican was up in arms when games were played on Tuesday.

Would we do the same for them?

I couldn't help but wonder whether professional sports leagues in the United States gave thought to a stoppage of play when U.S. embassies in Africa were bombed by terrorists in 1998. Games continued.

Major League Baseball was on strike at the time of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, so it had no decision to make. But the NBA played on.

I can understand why the New York Jets would not want to fly to Oakland, Calif., for a game against the Raiders, given the destinations of the four planes that were highjacked on Tuesday.

I can understand why anyone would think seriously about not flying until federal enforcement officials can provide some kind of safety reassurance.

I can understand why the use of charter flights by professional and college teams might be increased.

But unless you're going to curtail all other discretionary activity, let the kids play.

Columnist Paul Reinhard

610-820-6783

paul.reinhard@mcall.com

***

By definition, a dilemma is "a difficult, perplexing or trying situation." I found myself in just such a predicament on Wednesday.

On Page A28 of our newspaper, I came across a photograph, 19 1/4 inches deep by 7 1/8 inches wide, of a man plunging head-first from the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

The caption didn't say from what floor he had leaped, but it was not difficult to imagine the outcome.